For the LORD listens to the needy and does not despise His captive people.
Parallel translations
- WEB For Yahweh hears the needy, and doesn’t despise his captive people.
- KJV For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.
- NKJV For the Lord hears the poor, And does not despise His prisoners.
- NASB For the Lord hears the needy, And does not despise those of His who are prisoners.
- NLT For the Lord hears the cries of the needy; he does not despise his imprisoned people.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his imprisoned people. It assures the afflicted that God attends to them.
Overview
David affirms that God listens to the poor and does not scorn those of his people who are bound or captive. God's special care for the lowly and oppressed runs throughout Scripture. This compassion finds its fullest expression in Christ, who came to proclaim liberty to captives and good news to the poor (Luke 4:18).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Acts 5:18–19and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
- Ps 68:6God settles the lonely in families; He leads the prisoners out to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
- Zech 9:11–12As for you, because of the blood of My covenant, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit.
- Rev 2:10Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
- Ps 146:7He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,
- Luke 4:18“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed,
- Eph 3:1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles...
- Ps 12:5“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”
- Acts 12:4–11He arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
- Ps 10:17You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear,
- Ps 102:20to hear a prisoner’s groaning, to release those condemned to death,
- Ps 102:17He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their prayer.
- Ps 34:6This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
- Ps 72:12–14For he will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.
- Isa 66:2Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.
- Ps 107:10Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 69:33 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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